Smooth first day of school in Franklin County

Thousands of county students flood local schools amid promise of new year

Students walk the halls to their classrooms Monday during he first day of school at Chambersburg Area Middle School North. (Markell DeLoatch — Public Opinion)

Students board buses at Monday at Chamberburg Area Middle School North. Monday marked the first day of classes for area schools. (Markell DeLoatch — Public Opinion)

FRANKLIN COUNTY &GT;&GT; Greencastle-Antrim School District's superintendent said he "can't remember a more smooth" first day of school. School officials throughout the county reported that their days were relatively bump-free, too.

Thousands of students returned to classrooms on Monday in G-A, Chambersburg, Tuscarora, Shippensburg and Waynesboro schools.

Middle and high school students in G-A successfully reported to homerooms five minutes earlier than last year, with no problems reported, said Superintendent Greg Hoover.

The first day of transportation went by without major issues, a different story from last year when the a new transportation computer system was first used. The district told parents this year that delays of up to 30 minutes may occur for the first week as drivers get used to their routes.

For the first time, students in the alternative education program are taking classes on the G-A campus in modular buildings set up between the middle and high schools. Hoover said this set-up will allow students to better transition from the alternative program back into their regular classes.

Chambersburg

Chambersburg's school year got off to a tragic start due to the unexpected death of Mike Cooper, a fourth grade teacher at Andrew Buchanan Elementary and boys basketball coach for Chambersburg Area Middle School North.

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The district sent letters to families of all students at the school on Thursday, hours after Cooper passed away following a medical emergency. Counselors and other resources are to be available at the school for students and staff. District spokesperson Tammy Stouffer did not know early Monday evening how much these resources were used or if the situation was addressed to students in any other way Monday.

Teacher Kathleen Alexander prepares to lead her students to their classroom Monday at Chambersburg Area Middle School North. (Markell DeLoatch — Public Opinion)

The response to the dress code in its second year of implementation is so far nothing like the chaos and controversy that consumed the district last year. Chambersburg Area Senior High School's principal reported about five students not in compliance, Stouffer said. An elementary principal told her there were no infractions at that school.

"He really felt that the modifications for this year (were) really a big part of that," Stouffer said. The biggest change made to the dress code was the addition of a rule that a neckline can rest no lower than the width of three fingers from the collar bone; this addresses a big point of contention last year.

Students will not be disciplined for infractions during the first week. Building principals will hold meetings with all students on Tuesday to review the policy, Stouffer said.

In the morning, one school bus had a mechanical issue that required students to transfer to a replacement bus, Stouffer said.

Tuscarora

A smooth start to the school year is sure to help the technology department complete system and program upgrades throughout the district.

In the classroom, these include the one-to-one program in which each eighth-grader will get a laptop of their own for the school year and an initiative in kindergarten, first and second grade in which each class will get six iPads, according to Superintendent Charles Prijatelj.

Technology staff have also been working to improve the infrastructure for handling more Internet use and to put each building on its own network.

Prijatelj added that faculty and staff are building supports for Keystone Exams, such as arranging remediation classes. They are also working building plans for state Common Core Standards, as all districts are required.

Shippensburg

Many new faces are in many new places in Shippensburg Area School District, said Assistant Superintendent Matt Strine. Twenty-three of the new faces are teachers, about three or four per building, he added. He met with most of them Monday, and Superintendent Beth Bender met with the rest.

In addition, the middle school and intermediate school principals swapped places this year, and a new assistant principal is expected to arrive at the middle school by late October.

Strine spent his morning getting a first-hand look at the experience the district's youngest students have upon arriving to school on the first day. He described it as a smooth teacher-assisted process in which students moved into appropriate class lines after getting off their busses.

SASD has a new feedback survey that Strine encouraged all parents to complete. There is a link on the district website, and cards with a code for the survey are available at schools, he said.

"We want to make the best district we can but we can't do that unless we know where the problem areas and points we excel are at," he said, echoing similar statements shared by other school officials.

Waynesboro school district officials did not return calls for comment by deadline Monday.

Amber South can be reached at 262-4771.

Teacher Chad White identifies himself to new students Monday at Chambersburg Area Middle School North. (Markell DeLoatch — Public Opinion)